Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) was indicted Tuesday on federal charges claiming she forcibly impeded and interfered with law enforcement officers after a clash outside an immigration detention facility in Newark on May 9, according to federal officials.
A press release from the U.S. attorney’s office for the District of New Jersey stated that McIver allegedly intervened amid an attempted arrest by federal officials last month outside the Delaney Hall Federal Immigration Facility, per an indictment.
“As I have stated in the past, it is my Constitutional obligation as the Chief Federal Law Enforcement Officer for New Jersey to ensure that our federal partners are protected when executing their duties,” acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba said in a post on the social platform X discussing the indictment.
McIver shot back at the indictment, saying in a statement posted to X that it “is no more justified than the original charges, and is an effort by Trump’s administration to dodge accountability for the chaos ICE caused and scare me out of doing the work I was elected to do.”
The New Jersey Democrat was previously charged last month following a May 9 visit to the Newark detention facility. McIver toured the facility with fellow Democratic Reps. Bonnie Watson Coleman (N.J.) and Robert Menendez Jr. (D-N.J.) for congressional oversight.
After exiting the facility, a scuffle occurred with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents that were attempting to halt protestors from coming through the gates. Footage showed people pushing and shoving as law enforcement officials detained Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D) for trespassing.
Updated at 9 p.m. EDT
